Thursday, 25 October 2007

New Staff

There was considerable excitement at the station this morning as the area manager for Last Worst Western was on the platform talking to passengers. Sadly she didn't get as far as me as she was enduring a grilling from another passenger. I did over hear that the woman actually uses the train - from Cheltenham to London - and as a result is fully understanding of the trials and tribulations of us passengers. Not a very good way to manage the railway though is it? Trying to empathise when you're in senior management and can actually do something about the problem? The one thing this did actually prove is that the woman exists - I've only seen pictures of her on the notice boards before and made the assumption that she wasn'treal.

Another feature of the train in the last few weeks has been the addition of cleaning staff - I am guessing this has something to do with a quick turnaround for trains at Paddington - on our train they have employed a lovely African lady who stands at the end of a carriage and announces in a loud voice "GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY..... (pause)...... RUBBISH PLEASE". I've got used to it now but when she first did it, I was sleeping about 2 feet away from the door and jumped out of my skin spraying tea and laptop across the train. Not a good look when you've managed to appear neat and tidy and very "City" up to that point. The rest of the passengers pointed and laughed at me (although not out loud and without the actual pointing).

2 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Train Fellow, my dear man, I seem to recall that you vacated the Cheltenham / London line due to excessive cost and poor availability of trains and or punctuality; thus arriving at Kingham because of the 'improvement' in the 'service' there. Enough said about the Cheltenham / London line other than to say it must now have a 'champion' if the said lady travels that line. Could things be due for an improvement if she is to travel and experiences the 'service' or non service daily?

Back in the world of First Best Chiltern (FBC), other than the odd day when a train may be 2-5 minutes late (invariably catching up time before final destination)things continue to run smoothly and to time. By the way FBC has not resorted to cleaning trains whilst in motion.

The biggest problem currently is the size of the car park at Banbury. Apparently, after 08.00hrs it is full despite doubling the size recently. FBC has apparently bigger and better development plans (I heard yesterday)to expand car parking yet again since the serge in ex LWG passengers who have since started using the line post the summer floods.

By the way I will update you shortly about the Network Rail plan to upgrade signalling between Paddington and Didcot (this is a major scheme that will flow on from Reading station rebuild in the next few years (thinking about retiring or working from home? You should be this is mega disruption for a number of years ~ believe me)

Glad you weren't dreaming about more 24/JB exploits otherwise one of the following situations may have occurred:

1) You awake confused but believing that if they get their hands on your laptop then President Palmer will be compromised...so you grab for the nearest emergency escape hammer, break the window (you will know how to do this no doubt having studied the 'what to do in case of emergency' cards) and fling your IBM Thinkpad for all it's worth whilst doing a dodge/roll into a prone firing position...

2) Grab the nearest (bulky looking) commuter and, using said commuter as a human shield, make your way down the carriage to first class...where things are always a lot calmer.